primary vs secondary data

• Primary data is data collected by the investigator for a specific purpose, such as data collected by a student for their thesis or research project.
• Researchers in the health and social sciences can obtain their data by getting it directly from the subjects they’re interested in, this data they collect is called primary data.
• Primary data is collected by researchers using surveys, interviews, and direct observations.
• Secondary data is data that has already been gathered by someone else for some other purpose but is being utilized by the investigator for another purpose.
• Secondary data tends to be readily available and inexpensive to obtain compared to primary data.
• Administrative data tends to have large samples because the data collection is comprehensive and routine.
• Administrative data is collected over a long period, allowing researchers to detect change over time.
• Advantages of primary data include the investigator collecting data specific to the problem under study, having control over the data, and the ability to obtain additional data during the study period.
• Disadvantages of primary data include lengthy and expensive data collection, contending with all the hassles of data collection, and ensuring the data collected is of a high standard.
• Advantages of secondary data include the data already being there, it being less expensive, and the investigator not being personally responsible for the quality of data.
• Disadvantages of secondary data include data not exactly fitting the needs of the study, the investigator not being able to decide what is collected, and not being able to obtain additional data or clarification about something.
• The type of data researchers choose can depend on many factors including the research question, their budget, their skills, and available resources.
• Based on these factors, researchers may choose to use primary data, secondary data, or both.